UAE Authorities and Industry Experts Tackle Key Engineering Issues

Cooperative Working and Knowledge-Sharing Necessary to Progress

DUBAI, UAE, November 16 - Recent building failures in the UAE have highlighted the importance of
high-quality, sustainable engineering techniques. The economic downturn has
driven contractors and consultants to maximize the return on every
construction dollar spent, making it increasingly difficult to strike the
right balance between safety and cost.

Nowhere does this ring truer than in the area of foundation design and
construction. Optimising design of piling systems and deep foundations for a
building or infrastructure project means using less material, particularly
less concrete and less steel. The two materials can account for up to 75% of
project costs. True optimization allows a contractor to dramatically increase
their bottom line, while over-conservative designs can add a substantial and
unnecessary amount to costs.

When optimising design, however, consultants and contractors must remain
supremely confident of the techniques used and must also ensure that
construction of piling and foundation work adheres to certain standards.

So how much material can be removed during design whilst guaranteeing the
long-term safety of the structure? And what techniques of design,
construction, testing and quality assurance are adequate for this region?

Structural, geotechnical and infrastructure engineers from UAE
municipalities, zoning authorities and private companies will gather in Dubai
to discuss the viability of certain innovative design and construction
technologies in the Middle East.

The third annual Piling & Deep Foundations Middle East Summit, hosted
jointly by Dubai Technology & Media Free Zone Authority - Government of
Dubai, Deep Foundations Institute (DFI) and International Quality &
Produtivity Center (IQPC), will take place at the Westin Hotel on 31 January
- 3 February 2009.

The Dubai Technology & Media Free Zone Authority - Government of Dubai in
particular has made obvious the importance of offering such an event for the
benefit of the industry as a whole to ensure the sustainability and safety of
future developments.

Key figures from the region's piling and foundation industry will meet
with international ground engineering luminaries for four days of technical
presentations and focused discussions that will address key engineering
issues.

Prof. Jean-Louis Briaud, current President of the International Society
for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE), states "Piling &
Deep Foundations Middle East 2010 has brought together some of the most
prominent speakers the geo-world has to offer. The topics that they have
presented are the latest technical developments in the field of geotechnical
engineering. I am very pleased to be able to attend this very prominent event
in the Middle East which can help advance knowledge amongst the entire
geotechnical engineering community, including government, industry, and
academia."

Dr. Fred H. Kulhawy, Distinguished Member of the ASCE, who is also
leading a short course on Reliability-Based Design at Piling & Deep
Foundations Middle East 2010, describes the importance of DFI involvement: "I
attend DFI meetings whenever I can because they are always top-notch".

Both experts will deliver keynote presentations during the main
conference and will also provide outstanding international insights during
the exclusive International Case Study Day on 3 February 2010.

About IQPC Middle East:

For over thirty years, IQPC has helped the world's leading corporations
solve their business challenges through the sharing of practical industry
solutions and global best practice. In the process, the company has built a
formidable reputation for quality and value. The world's most progressive
companies have benefited from IQPC's unrivalled global reach, which has
connected international expertise with regional and local leaders.

    For more information, please contact:
    Stacey Cross
    Senior Marketing Manager
    IQPC Middle East
    +971-4-360-2942
    Stacey.cross@iqpc.ae

For more information, please contact: Stacey Cross, Senior Marketing Manager, IQPC Middle East, +971-4-360-2942, Stacey.cross at iqpc.ae